Typing Test for Government Exams: SSC, RRB and CPCT Requirements
SSC, Railway and CPCT typing tests all measure different things — words per minute, key depressions per hour, or net speed after penalties. Train for the wrong one and a good typist still fails. Here is what the official notices actually say, and how to practise for each.
Read the current notice, always
Requirements and error limits change between recruitment years. The numbers below come from official notices and rule books linked on this page, but before your exam confirm them in the notification for your recruitment year and post.
SSC CHSL — LDC / JSA typing test
The Commission prescribes a typing speed of 35 w.p.m. in English or 30 w.p.m. in Hindi, described as roughly 10,500 and 9,000 key depressions per hour respectively, on a computer, with a test duration of 10 minutes. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 15 minutes. You choose the medium, Hindi or English, in the online application form, and that choice is final (SSC CHSL notice).
The Mangal font rule that fails candidates every year
The notice is blunt about it: candidates opting for Hindi as the medium for the typing/skill test for LDC/JSA will be required to type in Mangal font only, and the use of any other font will lead to non-qualification. If you have been practising Kruti Dev for SSC, you are practising the wrong system — see हिंदी टाइपिंग कैसे सीखें for the difference.
SSC CHSL — Data Entry Operator posts
DEO posts are not measured in w.p.m. at all. The skill test is mandatory, runs for 15 minutes, and is assessed on correct entry of words and key depressions from a given English passage (SSC CHSL notice):
| Post | Required speed | Passage size | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEO in departments listed in the notice | 15,000 key depressions per hour | ~3,700–4,000 key depressions | 15 min |
| All other DEO / DEO Grade ‘A’ posts | 8,000 key depressions per hour | ~2,000–2,200 key depressions | 15 min |
SSC CGL — Data Entry Speed Test (DEST)
DEST sits in Tier-II, Paper-I, Section-III, Module-II. It lasts 15 minutes with a passage of about 2,000 key depressions, and it is mandatory but qualifying in nature. What trips people up is the error limit, which depends on category (SSC CGL notice):
| Category | Maximum errors allowed |
|---|---|
| UR | 20% |
| OBC / EWS | 25% |
| All other categories | 30% |
Higher qualifying standards apply to posts where computer proficiency or DEST is specifically prescribed, such as Tax Assistant in CBIC and CBDT.
RRB NTPC — Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST)
The railway instructions prescribe 30 w.p.m. in English or 25 w.p.m. in Hindi. The session is a one minute warm-up, a 30 second break, then a 10 minute evaluated test. English is the default language; candidates typing in Hindi must be familiar with Krutidev or Mangal font (RRB CBTST instructions).
Two rules decide most results:
- Volume gate. Type at least 300 words in English or 250 in Hindi. Below that, the transcript is not evaluated at all. Candidates who do not type the whole passage at least once within 10 minutes are disqualified.
- Mistake penalty. Speed = [total words typed − (final mistakes × 10)] ÷ time, where 5% of total words typed is ignored first, and half mistakes count as half. The notice's own example: 400 words with 10 final mistakes gives (400 − 100) ÷ 10 = 30 w.p.m.
Read that penalty again — each counted mistake costs ten words. In railway typing, accuracy is not a nice-to-have, it is the whole exam.
MP CPCT
CPCT scores typing as net words per minute over a 15 minute test in each language, and both Hindi and English typing are mandatory to attempt. The rule book sets the minimum passing score at 30 NWPM for English and 20 NWPM for Hindi, with Hindi typed in Unicode using the Remington (Gail) or Inscript keyboard layout. Higher net speeds map to higher scaled percentages, so CPCT rewards going past the minimum rather than just clearing it (CPCT rule book).
Note: different CPCT rule book versions have circulated with slightly different Hindi minimums, so check the version currently published on the official CPCT portal before you fix your target.
Requirements side by side
| Exam / post | English | Hindi | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC CHSL — LDC / JSA | 35 w.p.m. (~10,500 KDPH) | 30 w.p.m. (~9,000 KDPH), Mangal only | 10 min |
| SSC CHSL — DEO (most depts) | 8,000 KDPH | — | 15 min |
| SSC CHSL — DEO (listed depts) | 15,000 KDPH | — | 15 min |
| SSC CGL — DEST | ~2,000 key depressions | — | 15 min |
| RRB NTPC — CBTST | 30 w.p.m., min 300 words | 25 w.p.m., min 250 words | 10 min |
| MP CPCT | 30 NWPM | 20 NWPM (Unicode) | 15 min each |
How to train for an exam typing test
- Fix the medium first. Decide Hindi or English before you start practising, because for SSC the application choice is final and the Hindi route means Mangal font.
- Build technique, then speed. If you still hunt for keys, no amount of mock tests will help. Start at Day 1 of the 30 day course and follow the touch typing guide.
- Practise at exam length. A 60 second test tells you nothing about a 10 or 15 minute exam. Use Day 19-23 paragraph practice to build endurance, and run full-length sessions.
- Train accuracy to the error limit, not to comfort. Work out your target from the actual formula — with a ten-word penalty per mistake, two fewer errors is worth more than two extra words per minute.
- Drill numbers and symbols. Exam passages contain digits, brackets and punctuation. Day 24-25 and Day 26-27 cover exactly those.
- Practise without backspace dependence. Several exams lock or penalise correction. Train yourself to type it right the first time rather than repairing as you go.
- Track the trend. Watch your rolling average on the progress page, not single good runs.
Questions candidates ask
Which typing speed is needed for SSC CHSL?
For LDC/JSA the Commission prescribes 35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi, which it describes as roughly 10,500 and 9,000 key depressions per hour, tested on a computer for 10 minutes. DEO posts are measured differently, at 8,000 key depressions per hour for most departments and 15,000 key depressions per hour for the departments listed in the notice.
Can I use Kruti Dev for the SSC typing test?
No. The SSC CHSL notice states that candidates opting for Hindi as the medium for the typing/skill test for LDC/JSA are required to type in Mangal font only, and that using any other font will lead to non-qualification. Practise in Mangal, not Kruti Dev, for SSC.
What is DEST in SSC CGL?
The Data Entry Speed Test is a 15 minute qualifying module in Tier-II, Paper-I, where you type a passage of about 2,000 key depressions. It is qualifying in nature, but the permitted error percentage differs by category: 20% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 30% for all other categories.
What speed does the RRB NTPC typing test need?
The railway CBTST instructions prescribe a minimum of 30 words per minute in English or 25 words per minute in Hindi over a 10 minute test, after a one minute warm-up. Candidates typing in Hindi must be familiar with Krutidev or Mangal font, and transcripts are not evaluated at all if you type fewer than 300 English or 250 Hindi words.
How is net typing speed calculated in these exams?
Each exam uses its own formula. The railway CBTST subtracts ten words for every counted mistake after ignoring 5% of total words typed, then divides by time. CPCT uses net words per minute over a 15 minute test. Always read the formula in the current notice, because the same raw speed can pass one exam and fail another.
How long should I practise before the exam?
If you already touch type, four to six weeks of daily 30 minute practice at exam length is usually enough to stabilise your speed. If you still look at the keyboard, budget two to three months, because you have to fix technique first and only then chase speed.
TypeFlowUltra is a free practice tool, not a coaching service and not affiliated with SSC, the Railway Recruitment Boards or CPCT. Use it to build speed and accuracy, and always verify exam rules in the official notification.